What keeps Brian's morale up during his ordeal?

• A. Giving up
• B. Hearing a plane
• C. Eating berries
• D. Small wins like lighting a fire and shelter-building

Answer: (D)

The main idea tested is that Brian’s morale is kept up by making tangible, doable progress through small wins that he can control. When he concentrates on practical tasks—like lighting a fire and building a shelter—each successful step gives him a sense of mastery, warmth, safety, and a plan to follow. These concrete achievements create momentum and hope even in a grim situation, because they show that his effort changes things and that he isn’t completely at the mercy of what happens around him. Options that rely on luck or external rescue, or that carry risk or surrender, don’t provide the same steady boost. A plane’s arrival is hopeful but unreliable, eating unfamiliar berries could be dangerous, and giving up would erase any sense of progress. Focusing on small, controllable wins keeps him motivated and grounded.